The organic, gluten-free, wheat-free, and dairy-free segments are all on the rise worldwide. Let’s look at that development and other food trends for 2016. Then we will discuss the connection between food choices and pain alleviation.
Global growth of healthy food categories
No one wants their diet to just be “trendy,” but looking at the market via an assessment of food trends gives us a sense of how our culture is changing and what categories of products are becoming more widely available.
The overarching theme of 2016 trends is that people are eating more conscientiously and trying to avoid options they believe to be dangerous to their health, according to a report released in November by Innova Market Insights. Indeed, dieting to avoid contaminants and additives is occurring in many countries worldwide – with 9.5% of new food products labeled organic, up from 6.3% in 2013.
Many flexitarian diet items are being released, as well as items designated as “free of” certain harmful or individually problematic elements such as “no high-fructose corn syrup” or “gluten/wheat/dairy-free,” notes Lu Ann Williams of Innova. "Clean and clear labeling and 'free from' foods have all gained traction and moved on to the next level during 2015," she says. "[O]ther emerging trends for 2016 include the rise of the part-time vegetarian ('flexitarian') consumer … and the re-establishment of links to 'real' food."
Major 2016 food trends include:
#1 – Emergence of the clear label
The clear label became increasingly prominent last year, and that’s expected to accelerate through 2016. Clear labeling could eventually be more broadly applied than the organic segment, but that’s where this trend – an evolution of the clean label – is most evident.
#2 – Out with gluten, wheat & dairy
A large swath of the population has started to avoid dairy, wheat, and the gluten that’s contained in wheat and other grains. Since that’s the case, the market has responded with more products in those categories.
#3 – Meeting the needs of the flexitarian
Many people have become inconsistent or flexible vegetarians – sometimes called flexitarians. These consumers are targeted with products meants to resemble meat and items containing alternative protein.
#4 – Processed food without ill effect
Fermentation is being used more commonly to process food traditionally.
#5 – Hidden vegetables
Food companies have also become more sophisticated at concealing vegetables within smoothies, pastas, and other items. That’s occurring because consumers know they need vegetables and are often looking for indirect ways to get those servings – especially in the case of kids.
Food & pain relief
Many people who remove additives, gluten, dairy, or high-fat meat from their diets do so because they are generally moving toward food choices that are anti-inflammatory. Fighting inflammation is one way to target pain.
Are you in pain? At Envista Medical, we provide the natural healing techniques that are incorporated into medical and chiropractic care.